Reading original, handwritten documents or primary sources can be a unique challenge. The handwriting in old documents such as letters, diary entries, and ledgers may appear illegible at first glance. Learning the basic tips and tricks of paleography, or the study of old handwriting, can help you recognize and understand the timeworn text. Whether you are reviewing primary sources for a dissertation or thesis at school, studying historical documents to research your family history, or simply reading old family letters, paleography can help unlock stories and histories from the past.

Steps

Method1

Getting Started

1

Make copies. To protect the primary source, never work with the original document when possible. Scan and make several copies of the document. This way you can handle the document without fear of damaging it and you can make notations directly on the page. Scanning will also allow you to enlarge portions of the document that may be particularly tricky to decipher.

2

Grab a dictionary. Make sure you have a dictionary on hand in case you come across unfamiliar or archaic words.

3

Know what type of document it is. Looking at the big picture can help identify the document’s intention, which can help you understand the text. Certain documents may use particular phrases, jargon, and abbreviations, so it is important to understand what type of document you are working with.[1]

Is it a personal document, like a letter or journal entry? If so, you may run in to more personalized, unique phrases or character formations.

Is it an official government ledger, like a tax record or a census record? If so, you may come across frequently used legal terms and official, government abbreviations. Knowing this information can help point you to the right resources.[2]

4

Research the document’s history. Placing the document within a historical context is immensely helpful for successfully reading the handwriting and understanding its meaning. It can be helpful to know who wrote the document, why they wrote it, and the historical and political environment he or she was in when the document was written.[3]

Method2

Recognizing Tricky Letters and Spellings

1

Read the letters “s” and “f” carefully. In English, the letter “s” was often written as a backward “f." In the middle of some words, you may see the modern-day symbol for “f” where an “s” should be. For example, the name “Massachusetts” could be written as “Maffachufetts.”[4] Being mindful of this common character difference can help save a lot of time and patience when reading old handwriting.

2

Look for interchangeable letters. Be aware that some letters were often interchanged in old documents and are not necessarily misspellings.

For example, in English the letter “i” was often changed to “y,” so that the word “mine” can be seen as “myne.”[5]

The letters “u” and “v” were frequently interchanged in English as well. For example, the word “ever” could be written as “euer,” or the word “unto” could be seen as “vnto.”

“J” was often interchanged in English with “i,” so that the name “James” may be appear as “Iames.”[6]

3

Notice spelling variations. Words in old documents were often spelled phonetically, or how they sounded in the local dialect.[7] English spelling was not standardized until the 18th century, so understanding the context of a document may be difficult for modern-day readers. Try saying the word out loud and refer to your dictionary when you come across these spelling variations.

Method3

Encountering Abbreviations and Contractions

1

Understand space-saving characters. Abbreviations, contractions, and symbols were often used to save time and space on the paper, which was a very expensive commodity.[8] You will most likely come across shorthand references in your research.

2

Look for “th” replacements. The letter “y” often stood in for the letters “th” in English documents. You may come across the word “ye” in a document, which could be an abbreviation for the word “the.”

3

Look for symbols. Signs and symbols were often used to signify a certain word, and you will most likely run across one or two in your research.[9]

The symbol “@” can be used to replace the word “per.”[10] If you come across “@ week,” for example, that will most likely mean “per week.”

In English, a short, wavy line that appears over a letter or group of letters is called a tittle. This symbol indicates the exclusion of the letter “m” or “n” or the omission of the suffix “tion.”[11]

A very common symbol is “&,” commonly known as the ampersand, and is used to indicate the word “and.” Pay attention to this symbol as it frequently has personal variations and can change from author to author.[12]

Method4

Deciphering the Document

1

Transcribe the document. Review each word and letter of the document and write down the words, letters, and abbreviations that you recognize on a separate piece of paper. Leave a blank space for the words you don’t recognize.

2

Read the document aloud. Hearing the text may help you to recognize unfamiliar words and can help place antiquated words in a modern context.[13]

3

Transcribe abbreviations. Writing down an abbreviations key on a separate piece of paper is a great way to keep track of the abbreviations used in the document. It is also handy to refer back to while studying the document.

4

Trace the letters. If you are having a difficult time understanding the handwriting, try writing the words yourself. Place tracing paper over the photocopy of your document and trace each word with a pen. Creating the characters yourself and understanding the motion may help you understand the differences and the overall context of the primary source. [14]

5

Take your time. Be sure to analyze and review the document carefully and slowly, taking time to study each word and letter. You may miss the meaning if you zoom through the document, so be sure not to rush.[15]

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Tips

If you get stuck on a word, move on. You can revisit it once you have worked through the document and have a better sense of its overall meaning and context.[16]

Give your eyes a rest. If you are spending a lot of time reading a document, be sure to rest your eyes every hour or so by looking at a far-away object. This will help prevent headaches and eyestrain.[17]

Practice! It takes time and effort to learn how to decipher old handwriting. Continual effort, research, and determination will improve your skills over time.